This invention generally relates to a sports game and, more particularly, to a sports game that utilizes audio messages to present a fictional setting for the person playing the game.
The tremendous popularity of sports activities has generated much interest not only in official sporting equipment, but also in novelty sporting equipment for both children and adults. Consequently, a number of novelty goals, particularly basketball rims, have been introduced to the public as toys for children and novelty items for adults. Such products include novelty basketball rims that affix to walls, doors, trash cans and the like, and further include toy basketball goals having a rim and backboard on an adjustable pole for use by small children. Many of these products include fairly sophisticated electronic gadgetry that provides for automatic scoring, electronic timing, and even audio feedback to the user when a basket is made as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,195 issued to McMahan et al on Nov. 12, 1991.
While these devices do provide great recreation, one feature they do not offer is providing a setting for the user of the game by audio messages. In other words, it is every sports enthusiast's dream to be in a setting where it's the big game with only a few seconds left and to be taking the last shot to win it all. Accordingly, the present invention provides a portable device, adaptable to any number of sports goals, that creates such a setting by generating a number of audio messages prior to and during the user's attempt to score a goal.
One example of such a setting would be an audio message by a well known sports commentator stating that it was the seventh game of a best of seven series in the NBA Championship Finals. The commentator would then indicate that there were ten seconds left in the game, the score was tied, and the ball was being inbounded to the user of the game. The audio message would also provide background crowd noise along with a countdown of the time remaining by the crowd. Thus, the user would be placed in a setting where it was necessary for the user to score a goal before the time remaining on the game clock expired. In addition, audio messages could be programmed to provide feedback that is dependent upon either a basket being made or the lapse of time remaining on the game clock.
Additional objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.